Columbia Machine opens new division
Vancouver-based Columbia Machine opened a manufacturing services division designed to offer contract manufacturing and support services to its clients. The division integrates all of the company’s services and offers clients a streamlined process for purchasing concrete products machines.
The new strategy aims to reduce errors, transaction times and overall costs, according to the company.
DOR provides relief to flood victims
The Washington State Department of Revenue is offering tax relief to property owners who suffered damages or loss due to recent flooding.
Owners can apply to county assessors to have the taxable value of their affected properties reduced in the form of a partial abatement or refund of taxes paid in 2009 and a reduction of future taxes until the property is restored.
Applications and additional information are available on the department’s website, https://dor.wa.gov.
Port honors Great Western Malting
Great Western Malting earned the Port of Vancouver’s Best Facilities Improvement Award for its expansion into international sales. The Vancouver company worked closely with port officials to begin shipping to brewers in Central America, South America and South Africa in 2008. Great Western supplies brewers globally from malt houses in Pocatello, Idaho, and the Port of Vancouver.
LTC Financial adds local jobs
Kirkland-based LTC Financial Partners plans to bring 12 new jobs to Southwest Washington in the midst of its 2009 expansion. The brokerage firm, which focuses exclusively on long-term care insurance sales, will add more than 500 total new agents to its force this year.
Battle Ground Chamber honors luminaries
The Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce named Jeremy and Heather Brown, owners of Battle-Ground based Rusty Grape Vineyard, its 2008 Business Persons of the Year award. Don and Jane Higgins were honored as Citizens of the Year for their efforts to raise funds for the new Battle Ground library building.
Dozer Day needs volunteers
The Nutter Foundation is looking for volunteers to help with this year’s Dozer Day, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 16 at Fisher Quarry in Vancouver. The event gives children a chance to drive construction equipment while supervised. More information is available at www.nutterfoundation.org or 360-759-2300.
Mint Tea adds dinner service
Vancouver food and gift importer Mint Tea expanded its café hours to include dinner service on Fridays and Saturdays. The menu changes weekly but offers a variety of Moroccan-inspired meat, poultry, fish and vegan dishes prepared with local, organic produce and meats.
The bistro and shop, owned by Abdul Akdi and Jenna Eckert, is located at 2014 Main St. in Vancouver
Historic Reserve Trust adds to board
The Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust added new members and officers to its board. Ed Lynch and George “Bing” Sheldon were named co-chairs; Stacey Graham, vice chair; J.D. Muyskens, secretary; Steve Horenstein, treasurer; and Bruce Hagensen, chair emeritus.
Board members are Paul Christensen, Hunt Coracci, Eric Fuller, Richard Keller II, George Killian, Tom Koenninger, Mike McCoy, Dick Pokornowski, Roger Qualman, Bob Ridgley, Mary Robinson and Mike Williams.
The board also named Mary Robinson the Edward Lynch Trustee of the Year Award in honor of more than 10 years of service.
Senate bill could change wage rules
A new Washington State Senate bill could nix requirements for annual minimum wage increases.
Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, R-Wenatchee, introduced SB 5362 to propose that the state’s minimum wage remain at its current rate of $8.55 per hour, the highest rate in the nation and $2 above the federal minimum wage.
In 1998, voters passed Initiative 688 to require annual adjustments to minimum wage based on changes to the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. The initiative took effect in 2001.
H+H BRIEF
Northwest Medical adds office
Less than a year after opening an office at University Plaza in Salmon Creek, Longview-based Northwest Medical Analytic Laboratory opened its second Vancouver office at 14201 N.E. 20th St. in Salmon Creek. The new space is housed inside the Spirit of Health Wellness Clinic and Learning Center. The laboratory offers family medicine, naturopathy, chiropractics, acupuncture and massages.
Northwest Medical Analytic Laboratory is a division of Longview-based Lower Columbia Pathologists and has two offices in Longview.
R+D BRIEF
Homebuilder to give house shell away in sweepstakes
Vancouver-based Adair Homes is building a full-scale house at the Portland Spring Home and Garden Show to give away. The winner will be provided the shell of the 1,290-square-foot home with a finished exterior. The home and garden show continues through Feb. 22 at the Portland Expo Center.
Adair Homes has a 40-year history with offices in Woodland, Olympia and Aurora, Wash., Creswell, Bend and Medford, Ore., and Boise, Idaho.
B+F BRIEFS
Pacific Continental reports profit
Eugene-based Pacific Continental Bank, which has a Vancouver location, recorded a $3.8 million net income in the fourth quarter of 2008.
The income was a 15.9 percent increase compared to the same period in 2007.
Earnings per diluted share were 32 cents, a 14.3 percent increase compared to the 28 cents per share for the same quarter in last year. Return on average assets, average equity and average tangible equity for the 2008 fourth quarter were 1.43, 13.26 and 16.57 percent, respectively, compared to 1.41, 12.22 and 15.58 percent for the same quarter last year.
Umpqua launches asset management division
Roseburg, Ore.-based Umpqua Bank has created a new asset management division charged with evaluating public and private investment opportunities.
Umpqua has several locations in Clark County and recently took over failed Bank of Clark County’s insured deposits.
The new division is led by Kelly Johnson, executive vice president of asset management.
Riverview reports 3Q profit
Vancouver-based Riverview Bank reported a net income of $1.5 million, or 14 cents per diluted share, in the third quarter of fiscal 2009. That is compared to $2.2 million, or 21 cents per diluted share, a year earlier.
The bank posted a net loss of $1.9 million, or 18 cents per diluted share, in the first nine months of fiscal 2009, compared to a profit of $7.5 million, or 67 cents per diluted share, in the first months of fiscal 2008.
RETAIL BRIEF
Retail tax receipts down 12 percent
Retail tax receipts from Nov. 11 to Dec. 10 had a 12 percent drop compared to the same period in 2007, reported the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.
Tax receipts from auto dealers experienced the greatest drop, down 28.7 percent. Furniture stores’ retail tax receipts were down 17.9 percent, followed by apparel and accessories, down 13.2 percent, entertainment retailers, down 11.7 percent, and retailers of building and garden supplies and electronic and appliances, down 9.8 percent.
Drug and health stores reported a 3.6 percent increase in tax receipts and gas stations and convenience stores were up 0.1 percent.
Retail tax receipts declined year-over-year in at least 10 months of 2008, with the auto industry down for at least 11 months
